Whatever Happened to the Reporters of 1938?
by writer writing
Summary: Lois of 1938 is transported to the body of her 2006 self and vice versa.
1. Chapter 1

In the fall, Clark and Lois registered for classes at Metropolis University. Lois was lucky that they had let her back in. It was unlucky for them that they were both taking a journalism class together. They both suspected Chloe had convinced them and then not told them the other was going to be there on purpose, for laughs. Chloe had already taken the class.

Lois liked to sit, front and center. Clark wasn't surprised about this. Lois always had to be in the middle of things. What did surprise him is that he sat beside her. Lois could get under his skin more than anybody he knew but at the same time, it was like they were joined at the hip. He couldn't help but be drawn to her.

The lecture, today, was about journalism in the 1930's. Clark was taking notes diligently and Lois was playing with her pen.

"Miss Lane?" the professor said.

"Yes?" she answered, not the bit phased.

"I was just talking about women reporters in the '30's."

"So?"

"If you had been listening, you would have heard me ask whether you think you would have pursued journalism in that period?"

"If I had wanted to, I would have. I don't care if it was considered a man's profession."

"Can you imagine the prejudice you would have faced? Can you imagine the 1930's at all?"

"Yes."

"Somehow, Miss Lane, I think you can."

The professor continued with his lecture. If someone had been watching Lois, they would have seen a strange look come into her eyes. Something out of the ordinary had just happened.

Lois jumped up and shouted, "What in the heck am I doing in these clothes and why in the world do I have pants on?"

"Miss Lane, is something the matter?"

She around looked at the class. They were all dressed strangely.

"No, I guess not," she said, sitting back down, but she still looked heartily confused.

Clark passed a note to Lois:

-What's wrong?

-Thank goodness, a familiar face. Where are your glasses?

-Huh? Lois, meet me after class.

"Mr. Kent, passing notes like a schoolgirl, I see. Maybe you would like to lead our discussion. What are some of the major differences between journalism then and now?"

"Well, back then, we would have had to use typewriters to write our articles."

"And what should we use now, Kent, stone tablets?" Lois retorted.

"Miss Lane, wait your turn. Mr. Michaels?"

"Reporters would have had to use pay phones to call stories in."

"What are we talking about?" Lois asked more confused than ever.

The professor gave Lois a warning look in answer.

Lois looked down at her desk and saw the date on her notebook.

"Oh my goodness! It's not 1938!"

"Very observant, Miss Lane."

"It's 2006!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Congratulations, Miss Lane. You can now get a job putting dates on newspapers." The professor glanced at the clock on the back wall. "Look at the time. Class dismissed."

The students didn't need to be told twice and began their exit.

"Lois Lane," the professor said sternly.

Lois stopped and turned around. She had been following Clark out the door. He stopped too.

"I do not tolerate class clowns."

Clark could tell Lois was about to say something that could get her into even more trouble, so he dragged her out.

"Lois, what in the world is wrong with you?" he asked. "Not that you're ever what I'd consider normal, but what's gotten into you?"

"I don't know. One minute, it's 1938 and I'm getting lectured to by our 'charming' boss and the next minute, I'm getting lectured to by a stuffy professor in 2006."

Clark stared at her for a long time. He was trying to figure out whether to believe her or not. He decided she wasn't lying, but he didn't know if she'd had some sort of mental breakdown or it was some kind of weird happening. "Come on, we have to go see Chloe," he said at last.

"Chloe who?"

"Your cousin."

"How do you know my cousin?"

"She's from Smallville like me."

"No, she isn't. She lives with her parents in New Jersey. My aunt is a little touched in the head. My uncle won't keep her in an institution because institutions are expensive and don't always have the best reputation. She keeps them from having visitors even family visitors."

"Well, it's different now."

They walked to Chloe's dorm and Lois kept stopping to admire the things of the new millennium. It took them awhile, but they finally made it. Clark knocked on the door and Chloe answered.

"Hi, guys! How was class, today?" Chloe asked eagerly.

"I didn't know you were a blonde. They're not very common in our family," Lois said with an interested look.

"What?" Chloe replied, confused.

"We need to talk, Chloe," Clark said. "Can we come in?"

"Of course."

Clark took Chloe over to the corner and they began to whisper.

Lois' eyes got big, as she spotted the TV. "Holy cow! You must be filthy rich and extremely lucky to own one of these. There are only about 200 televisions in the entire world."

She walked over to it, looking at it with the eagerness of a child at Christmas. She pushed the button on and put a hand over her heart as if to still the beating when she saw the color. "This isn't possible! I must be dreaming!"

Clark and Chloe were watching her with interest.

Her eyes become even bigger, if that was possible, when she saw a Victoria's Secret commercial and she quickly flipped it off.

"I don't want a television if that's the kind of trash they put on it! I mean I'm not naïve. I've seen a lot of bad things in my profession but to allow that kind of stuff into the homes of families! Maybe the Amish have the right idea, rejecting technology. Of course, I wouldn't give up my Clark Gable movies. He is the most attractive man, other than Superman, of course."

"So Chloe, you see the problem," Clark said.

Chloe logged onto the internet without responding to Clark. "Lois, if you're from 1938, who's the president?"

"FDR."

"Correct. You said you go to the movies. What was the first animated movie?"

"Snow White. I saw it last year. Did you know, I read that they used real makeup on her?"

"Correct, again."

Chloe proceeded to ask her questions that only an expert, or a person who had lived then, would know. Since she wasn't the first, she had to be the second. The only thing that kept Lois from getting annoyed at the questions was her fascination with the computer and internet that seemed to know everything. This was more real than insanity.

"Clark, she's gotten them all right. It's got to be more than time travel though. Our Lois was born in 1986. Even her parents weren't alive in 1938. I don't know how to explain it."

"Maybe, I can help." A man with clothes belonging to the 1800s pushed open the cracked door. "My name is H.G. Wells."


	3. Chapter 3

"Excuse me?" asked Chloe, Clark, and Lois together.

"I said my name is H.G. Wells."

"As in the writer?" asked Chloe.

"Yes. In this case, it is more important you know that I keep time in check."

"So you brought me to the future?" Lois asked him.

"Not exactly. You brought yourself to the future."

"What?" Lois asked with raised eyebrows.

"I am sure you three are familiar with the theory of parallel universes? There are more of them than you know and more being created everyday. This is the newest in which you exist. When a new universe is created, new people are not. It is like a piece of you is put in the new one. You are still the same person existing in many different places. When this world ends, as all worlds must, so will the parallel universes of Earth. In that moment, you will remember all of the vast lives that you have experienced. Until then you should not be here."

"Fascinating," Lois remarked, "but you still didn't answer my question. How did I get here?"

"When two of you desire to be where the other is at the same time, it simply happens because you are you. The Lois of this universe was wondering about life in 1938 and when your boss asked 'when you look back on your life at 100, what do you want to have accomplished?' it made you wonder about this year."

"This is all confusing, sir, and I can spot a problem in your theory," Clark put in.

"I know what you are thinking. What about Krypton?"

"How-"

"I keep time. Krypton and its parallel universes have ended, but a small fragment remains and that is only because your parents sending you to Earth ties in with Earth's parallel universes."

"Krypton? You mean Clark is Superman?" Lois said.

"Please tell me this is just a dream and Lois did not just find out about my powers," said a worried Clark.

"Things will be perfectly fine, young man. Once the Loises are in their right universe, they will not remember a thing."

"Who put you in charge of time anyway?" Chloe asked.

"Good question, Miss Sullivan. God. He controls it all. Once it all ends, I will be out of a job, not that I mind as long as I retire in the right place."

"I can't believe you never told me you were Superman!" Lois said to Clark accusingly.

"You're putting the blame on the wrong Clark. I'm not this Superman person, at least not yet." He focused his attention back on H. G. Wells, "This is a lot of information to process and it's sad to know the world will end. Can men never achieve a perfect world?"

"Oh, he will come pretty close. Unfortunately, there will always be a Tempus."

"A who?"

"Wrong universe. Even I get confused. I do not expect you to understand it all. I just need Lois to come with me, so I can correct this."

"I'm not going," Lois said stubbornly.

"I thought this might happen," H.G. said with a weary sigh. "Is there anything I can do to change your mind?"

"I don't want to forget all the things I've found out," she said as she eyed Clark a tad disdainfully. "I don't want to go back to a world where I might die before I get to see all this progress."

"Clark and Chloe, I am expecting you to keep an eye on her," H.G. Well said. "She could greatly alter the course of things if we're not careful."

"Where are you going?" Clark asked.

"Well, Mr. Kent, I'm hoping I'll have more luck with the other Lois and praying I don't lose my job."

And then he left.


	4. Chapter 4

"I don't know who you are, old man, but if you don't get out of my face, I'm going to kick it in!"

"Lois, you may be one of my best reporters, but even you can't talk to me like that!" Perry replied.

Lois of 2006, who was now in 1938, looked around the room. A boy with freckles and a camera was in there, along with Clark.

"Clark, where are we and where did you get those ugly, antiquated glasses?"

"Uh, well, Lois, we're in Mr. White's office and these glasses happen to be brand-new."

She rolled her eyes. "Normally, I like geeks in glasses, but I think you might be an exception. Where are we again?"

Perry looked over at Clark with a look that said, "I knew she was going to have a nervous breakdown."

"Lois, as I was saying, it's dangerous and unhealthy for a young woman to put her life on the line like you do."

"I must be dreaming. Professor Blackard's lecture could do that to a person. As long as I'm having a lucid dream, I might as well enjoy it. Point me in the direction of a Starbucks."

"And what exactly is a Starbucks?" Perry said with furrowed eyebrows.

"Mr. White, if that is your name, this is no time to play around. You know what? Never mind. I'll just get a cappuccino from the machine downstairs."

"Is it just me or is she speaking Greek?" Perry asked the other men in the room.

"Coffee! Do you have coffee!"

"Jimmy, go get Lois a cup of coffee. Move it, boy!"

Jimmy rushed off.

Lois paced the floor in distress (and this wasn't easy, since she was in the strange skirt and heels). If ever she had come close to going to jail for coming unhinged and beating up the people around her, now was it. Clark and Perry sensed this and were a little nervous.

She saw a typewriter on the desk.

"Where did you get that? I got one for my cousin on her birthday and it was nowhere near in this good a condition. Of course, the one I got was still more valuable because it belonged to a famous reporter."

"You can get them almost anywhere. I find it a necessary tool at the Daily Planet," Perry replied sarcastically.

"That's stupid. It'd have to be 1938 or something."

"Lois?" Clark said gently.

"What!"

He held up a calendar.

"I need my coffee now!" she cried.

"Here," said Jimmy nervously as he rushed into the room.

She quickly drained the cup.

"I think I need to take a walk and get some fresh air," she said. "Maybe that will wake me up."

"I'll go with you," Clark said.

"Smallville, you're scaring me."

"Why?"

"You're looking at me like you look at Lana."

"Lana who?"

"Stay here. I need that air and maybe some liquor. There is alcohol in 1938, isn't there?" She left without waiting for an answer.

"Hallelujah! They do have elevators. It's just too bad they're not automatic," she muttered to herself as she got on. "Elevator person, first floor, please," she said more loudly.

The elevator stopped in between floors and the "elevator person" turned around.

"You do not know me, but I am H.G. Wells."

He began to tell her all the things he had told the others.

"Well, I guess that means I'm not loony after all," she said with obvious relief.

"No, you are not. Come with me and we will fix this whole situation."

"Fix it?"

"Yes, Miss Lane. You certainly do not want to be in an era without the many kinds of coffee and technology, do you?"

"Who says I don't?'

"There are not any advantages to staying here," he told her.

"The heck there isn't! I'd be the greatest reporter in history. I'll know war dates, fads, future famous people and all kinds of stuff. I would always have the story first and it would always be right."

"Since when did you want to be a reporter?"

"Since I found out how great I could be in 1938."

"You could and will be great in any time period."

"This isn't some never-ending TV show or comic book. It's real life and a chance like this only comes around once."

"So I am wasting my breath, as they say."

"You better believe it," she replied.

He let Lois off on the first floor.

It didn't matter what time Lois was from, she was the same stubborn mule. Although that would mean Clark was the same too. Yes, maybe the Clarks would help him with his plan to show the Loises the evils of the two times. He would ask them now, but perhaps he'd better untie the elevator boy and give him back his uniform, first.


	5. Chapter 5

Chloe had to go to class, so Clark was left alone with 1938 Lois. H.G. Wells had already talked to him. He never thought he would say this but he missed 2006 Lois. He knew ideally she was the same person, but he was getting tired of this mess.

"Come on. I'm going to take you around the city," he said.

"About time, Smallville! I was getting ready to leave without you."

"You call me Smallville in 1938 too?"

"I call you Smallville anytime and anywhere."

They found Lois' car.

"This is mine?" she asked, running her hands over the strange vehicle. "Hand me the keys."

"Lois, I think I should drive. You're not used to modern cars."

She looked a little mad and disappointed, but she agreed.

"Buckle up and we'll go," he told her when they go in.

"Why?"

"It's the law. What, it's not in 1938?"

"Most cars don't even have seatbelts."

"Oh, that sounds safe."

"Shut up and drive."

Step one in the plan: Clark put the radio on a station that was playing an Eminem rap song and turned it up full blast.

"Hear that, Lois? And you thought an underwear commercial was bad!" Clark called out over the noise.

"What? I can't hear you!"

He turned down the volume.

"I said did you hear that?"

"I hear the music. It's, uh, a very interesting sound."

"Did you hear the lyrics?"

"You're supposed to be able to understand the words?"

He whispered to her what the song was saying and immediately she switched it off.

"You can't get away from it. They play that kind of stuff in stores, at dances, in movies, and all kinds of places."

She humphed and ignored him. Step one was complete.

"Where did you want to go?" he asked.

"I want to buy more comfortable clothes."

"Perfect," he said, barely holding in a grin.

"What?"

"I said you'll look perfect."

He made sure he stopped at a sleazy store. Step two was a work-in-progress. Lois went looking through the racks.

"These are clothes?" she asked him.

"Problem, Lois?"

"I'm not wearing this crap. I'll hire a tailor. I don't care if I do look old-fashioned."

Step two was complete.

Lana Lang was waiting out on the sidewalk when they came out of the store. "Hi, Clark! Hi, Lois! Chloe told me you might be here."

"Now's not a good time, Lana," Clark told her.

"I thought we might talk about patching things up, Clark. We're in college now. We can be more mature."

Lois was looking very interested.

"Later," he said. He grabbed Lois and started pushing her in the direction of a café.

"She was pretty."

"What? Doesn't Lana exist in 1938?"

"I'm sure she does, but we've never met her."

"Haven't I had girlfriends?" Clark asked, wondering just how different his life was in 1938.

"Two of them, actually. Now that I know you're Superman. There was Lil. She got shot protecting you from a bullet that would've just bounced off of you. I guess you didn't really date her, but you gave her a kiss as a dying wish."

"Who's the other?"

"You date this other girl off and on. Do you really want to know?"

He looked at her. She was so pretty and Lois that sometimes he thought maybe…"No."

Lois looked nervous when she saw the bill for lunch.

"I'm hoping this is due to inflation and we can afford this."

"Yeah."

"Clark, I've been thinking and I don't belong here. Let's go back to the dorm. I'm sure H.G. is there by now."

"How did you know…"

"I eavesdropped. I knew your plan. I just didn't think it would matter. You have to get used to a time like this gradually. Clark, you're one thing that hasn't changed though."

She placed a hand on his cheek and they had a tender moment. They could both see why they were stuck together in every universe. It was just too bad they wouldn't remember. They were going to be placed near where they had been before.

"Before we go though, might I suggest something?"

"Sure."

"Get some glasses."

"Why?"

"One day, you'll find your calling and future Lois needs to forget what you look like without them."

They stopped by an optician and Lois picked out a pair of glasses, paid for it, and put it in his pocket. Hopefully, Clark would find it later and take a hint.

sss

1938 Clark was looking for 2006 Lois. He had already been enlisted by H.G. Wells too. Unfortunately, Lois was loose on the city without him.

"If I were Lois, where would I be?"

His Lois would be working on a story or at her apartment, but this Lois hadn't encountered that side of herself yet, according to what he was told. He was walking down the street. She had mentioned a Starbucks but he had no idea where that was. She had also mentioned liquor, but he thought she was probably being sarcastic.

"Clarkie!" She had found him. "What's up?" she asked.

Clark looked up in puzzlement to answer her question.

"It's an expression, you dork. You're worse than my Clark."

"What have you been doing?"

"Seeing how different the city is. I want to buy some stuff, but I haven't got any money."

"You shouldn't have left your purse at your desk."

"I didn't know I had one, but you have money, don't you?"

"Yes, but we're in a depression. You can't just waste money."

"It's not going to last much longer. The war that brings us out of it is getting ready to start."

"A war?"

"I probably shouldn't have said anything. It's not a waste to eat, is it?"

"No, as long as the price is reasonable."

Step one was getting Lois to see how careful you had to be with money in this time.

"I'll never get use to it," Clark commented as they looked at the menu.

"What, Smallville?"

"Seeing beer on the menu."

"Prohibition has been over for a few years, hasn't it?"

"Yes, but Kansas is still a dry state."

"No kidding? Those poor people in Kansas never drink?"

"I didn't say that. People make moonshine or cross the state line all the time."

She laughed. "I hope your mom's making it okay in the depression."

"Lois?"

"What?"

"My mom passed away before I ever came to Metropolis."

"Oh, me and my big mouth! It didn't occur to me that the mortality rate is higher in 1938. I'm so sorry, Clark."

Step two was helping Lois to see that medicine wasn't as advanced.

Clark looked like he heard something.

"Lois, excuse me. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To use the phone."

"Whatever."

She looked out the window. There was a large crowd gathering.

"I guess I should get used to reporting."

She walked out of the restaurant. There was a man in a cape and tights holding down a thief. The cops arrived and took the criminal into their police car. This wouldn't have been that strange except afterwards the "super man" flew into the sky. It was odd. She would have remembered something like that in the history books. It did seem like she had seen him somewhere before though. Yes! Now she knew! He was the man from her nightmares. She walked back in the restaurant and Clark was sitting at their table. She hit him.

"Where are you when I need you?"

"What?"

"There was some creepy guy outside."

"He's not creepy. He does a lot of good for the city. He's a hero."

"I guess he was kind of cute."

Clark sighed. Was Lois destined to fall for his alter ego first in every universe? "Lois, do you want to go to your apartment? We can eat there."

This is where H.G. Wells had told him to meet. Now, if only he could get Lois willing to go when he showed up, everything would be fine.

"Okay, cheapskate. Let's go."

They stopped by the newspaper office, so she could get the keys to the apartment. When they got to her apartment, Lois went into the kitchen and screamed.

Clark dashed in and cried, "Lois, are you okay?"

"There's no microwave!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I can't fix my meals without it."

"They don't have sandwiches in the future?"

"Clark, don't be stupid."

"I'll fix lunch, Lois. Just relax!"

"Clark?"

"Yes?"

"Who am I kidding? I can't live in the dark ages."

Clark smiled.

"Mr. Wells should be here any moment, Lois."


	6. Chapter 6

"You know, you'd think a man with a time machine wouldn't be late," 1938 Lois complained.

"You might as well enjoy 2006 while you can, Lois," Clark told her.

"I'd rather be enjoying 193-"

Suddenly, it was as if someone had turned out the light. At least that's what they thought at first, but they were still very visible. H.G. Wells was there and visible and so were 1938 Clark and 2006 Lois.

"Where are we?" questioned 1938 Lois.

"We are where time and matter do not exist. A sort of in-between world like limbo," H.G. Wells answered. "It is here that I will send the right Lois to the right time. First, you must place yourselves beside the Clark from your time."

1938 Lois placed a kiss on the cheek of 2006 Clark. 2006 Lois saw this and was slightly jealous (which didn't seem rational because it was technically her and since when did she care who kissed Clark). She then gave 1938 Clark a smack on the lips.

1938 Lois irrationally fumed and shouted, "I'll have you know I'm a very formidable boxer!"

"So what?" 2006 Lois shouted back. "I know judo!"

The Loises were about to advance and not to switch places but to fight. The Clarks held the Loises back.

"I have a feeling this is one fight you can't win, Lois and Lois!" said 2006 Clark.

Both Loises rolled their eyes. They knew they were equally matched, but if she had been anybody else…

"It is time," said H.G. Wells.

When they went to walk forward, only their souls moved and they walked into their respective bodies. Then they all vanished.

Back in 1938…

"So I hope you three understand that perilous situations arise in this business but that's no reason to take unnecessary risks."

"We understand, Chief," Lois said. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go eat. I'm strangely hungry."

"Me too, Lois. I feel like we haven't eaten all day," said Clark, as he wiped his face with a handkerchief and wondered where the lipstick had come from.

"Here, kids. Take these two tickets to the grand opening of Marco's Italian Restaurant. I was going to go, but I feel like I've already eaten."

"If you're sure, Mr. White," Clark said, taking the tickets.

"I am. Alice doesn't even like Italian. Now get out of my office."

They left without protest.

"Chief, how come I never get tickets?" Jimmy asked.

"When you start winning prizes for your pictures, we'll talk."

Clark and Lois headed toward the elevator.

Lois looked over at Clark. There were times when she felt like he had a secret. She respected his privacy though. Besides what kind of secret could a boy from Kansas have? A very good and sweet boy.

Clark looked over at Lois. For a second, he thought maybe she was seeing him in a new light and breaking down her wall of defense. Maybe he had just imagined it. He wondered what would happen if he told her that he was Superman. He felt like she would understand, once she was over the shock. He felt like they might have a relationship, get married, and even have kids. Yes, maybe someday, somewhere, it would all work out.

They locked arms in a comrade gesture and entered the elevator.

Back in 2006...

"Class dismissed."

Lois was the first one out the door this time and Clark hurried to catch up. They walked to Chloe's dorm and heard people snickering all the way.

"Hi…," Chloe began, "what have you two been doing?"

"Listening to Professor Boring. Why are those people laughing?" asked Lois as she pushed her way into the room.

Chloe shut the door after Clark came in and said, "Don't you know?"

"Well, I thought maybe it was because Clark's pants are starting to slide down," at this point Clark looked a little embarrassed and angry at Lois for not telling him as he pulled his pants higher, "but they were looking at the both of us,"

"Maybe it's got something to do with the lip print on Clark's cheek."

Lois walked over to Clark's other side and remarked, "Oh, yeah. Ran into Lana, I see."

Clark blushed again and as he used his shirt to remove it, he found the glasses in his pocket.

"Lois, Lana doesn't wear that shade of lipstick," Chloe pointed out. "You do."

"Are you saying I did it, Cuz? That's just crazy and impossible."

"If you say so."

Clark had put on the glasses and asked, "How do I look?"

"Like an idiot who picked out a stupid pair of glasses."

"I think he looks handsome, Lois. You should keep them. As much as I'm enjoying playing fashion critic, I do have to finish a paper."

Chloe turned on the computer and began typing. Clark decided to try wearing glasses. He had a strange feeling it might come in handy one day. Lois sauntered over to the bed and opened her notebook.

"Smallville, let me see your notes from class."

"If you paid attention, you would have the notes. I shouldn't let you copy mine down all the time."

"Yeah, yeah! Just hand them over."

He sat on the bed beside her and gave her his notebook.

"I must be rubbing off on you."

"Why?"

"Your notes stop at 10:45, Smallville. Which by the way, it's a little obsessive that you document your notes by time."

"Let me see that! That's weird. I don't remember him saying anything else. It's like a chunk of time is missing!"

"It's called zoning out. Professor Blackard's classes will do that to you. Don't worry. I'll show you what I do when that happens."

She gave him her notebook. He saw tic tac toe games drawn all over the pages.

"You play games with yourself?" he asked with a chuckle. "Boy, that would be scary!"

"What would?"

"Two Loises."

She hit him and they proceeded to play tic tac toe.

Chloe printed out her paper and glanced over at Lois and Clark. Lois had her feet laying in Clark's lap and he didn't seem to notice or care. They just passed the notebook back and forth. She could see them getting closer all the time, whether they wanted to admit it or not. That was part of the reason she got them to take a class together and the other part was for laughs.

sss

H.G. Wells watched these two scenes with satisfaction. His time machine now had a screen where he could view time without being there. It had worked out well.

He looked upward and said, "I think I deserve some Advil."

The assignment he had just completed was enough to give anyone a headache. Particularly, a woman whose initials were L.L. and it wasn't Lana. A glass of water and a pill appeared in his hand. After he took it, he seemed to hear someone talking. He listened.

"How does he think going to the Middle Ages is going to stop Utopia? Clark and Lois don't exist in that time, but I guess you'll explain on the way, Lord."

However, that was another story for another time.

The End


End file.
